15.08.2021 03:00 Date: August 1, 2021 When fossil hunters spotted a tiny skull fragment in Kenya’s Lake Turkana Basin on this day in 1984, they didn’t yet know they had discovered part of the most intact early hominid skeleton ever found. Today’s Doodle recognizes the discovery of this ancient fossil, dubbed the “Turkana Human,” which revolutionized knowledge of human evolution. This excavation dates back to 1967, when a paleoanthropologist flew over the Lake Turkana Basin and noticed fossiliferous rock. The next year, an expedition was launched into the volcanic valley, where the team uncovered remains of three coexisting Homo species, revealing the first evidence suggesting that early humans didn't have a single lineage, but multiple. This paradigm-shifting theory was reinforced by the discovery of the Turkana specimen, which Leakey’s team classified as Homo erectus, now considered the earliest ancestor of modern humans. Widely believed to be around 10 in age, the Turkana hominid lived approximately 1.6 million years ago. The skeleton exhibits anatomical characteristics that are similar to those of Homo sapiens from the neck down and reveals a body designed for bipedalism. The preserved facial features are smaller than those of pre-erectus ancestors, which indicates the consumption of a higher-quality diet to sustain a large brain, though not quite the size of the modern human brain. The era’s fossil record indicates that Homo erectus utilized this growing brain by building fires, crafting tools, and traveling outside of Africa—a migration that marked a new chapter in the journey of ancient humans. From harnessing fire to elucidating the chronology of human evolution, who knows what human exploration will find next? Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags:
15.08.2021 03:00 Date: July 31, 2021 Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Indonesian guest artist , celebrates the 112th birthday of Indonesian author Sariamin Ismail, who is widely regarded as the first woman in the nation to publish a novel. On this day in 1909, Sariamin Ismail was born in Talu, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . She began to explore the world of poetry at the age of 10, and by 16, her writings were published in several local newspapers. Ismail became a teacher after graduating high school and worked in various cities across the Indonesian archipelago while continuing to write over the following decades. Ismail was an active writer during a time when Indonesian women’s voices were censored and used many pseudonyms to avoid persecution from local authorities. Based on real-life experiences of romances gone awry, Ismail’s first novel—”Kalau Tak Untung” —was released under the pseudonym Selaish in 1933, and made history as the first novel authored by a woman in Indonesian history. This daring book exemplified a rejection of widely held Indonesian traditions such as arranged marriages, a controversial idea which characterized her work throughout her career. In 1937, Ismail began publishing stories in “Soeara Kaoem Iboe Soematra,” a local women’s magazine that promoted the values of the nuclear family in contrast with relationship conventions of the time. She taught into the late 60s and wrote into the mid 90s and left behind numerous anthologies of poetry, novels, and even two children’s stories. Happy birthday, Sariamin Ismail! Thank you for inspiring a new generation of women to use their voices. Location: Tags: , , , , , ,
14.08.2021 01:45 Date: July 28, 2021 Today’s Doodle honors Peru’s Independence Day, the first day in the annual two-day observance of Las Fiestas Patrias. On this day 200 years ago, Peru proclaimed its sovereignty, and the following day, the Republic of Peru was officially established. Depicted in the Doodle artwork is the vertically striped red and white Peruvian flag, which is flown across the South American nation to commemorate its victory. The colors of the flag represent those who fought for Peru’s freedom, the enduring national value of peace, and the Inca—the Indigenous civilization whose cultural heritage is foundational to Peruvian identity. Emblazoned on the center of the flag is the Peruvian coat of arms. Adopted in 1825, the crest features a vicuña positioned beside a cinchona tree . These naturalistic emblems are placed above a yellow cornucopia brimming with coins, which exemplifies Peru’s vast mineral resources. ¡Feliz Bicentenario de la Independencia, Perú! Location: Tags: , , , ,
10.08.2021 14:15 Date: July 26, 2021 Location: Tags: , , ,
10.08.2021 14:15 Date: July 26, 2021 On this day in 1951, a Soviet archaeological expedition led by Artemiy Artsikhovsky excavated the first ancient birch bark manuscript—a medieval letter inscribed with Old Russian text. Today’s Doodle celebrates the 70th anniversary of this major discovery that marked a new chapter in Russian linguistics research and shed new light on daily life of the Rus people in the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, birch bark prevailed in Rus as the most dependable material for communication among medieval city-dwellers. It was inexpensive, ubiquitous in the region’s vast swaths of forest, and could be easily engraved using a pointed stylus made of metal, bone or wood. Found in Veliky Novgorod—one of Russia’s oldest cities approximately 120 miles from St. Petersburg—the birch bark manuscript excavated in 1951 contains a brief list of working assignments addressed to a local laborer. This breakthrough finding proved to be just the tip of the iceberg, as over 1,000 manuscripts have been discovered across Russia since—some dating back to the 11th century! Before the 1951 excavation, historians mostly relied on ancient Russian archives to color in the grey areas of medieval history, but these records did not illustrate the minutiae of everyday life. Birch bark writings filled these gaps with incredible detail, chronicling accounts from children to high-ranking officials. Thanks to these artifacts, scholars now believe ancient Russians had a much higher rate of literacy than previously thought and have discovered a new Old Russian dialect. Today, experts estimate tens of thousands of birch bark writings remain under Russian soil. What will archaeologists discover next? Location: Tags: , , , , , , , ,
